Chapter 56: All Humanity Unites Against the Enemy!

Chu Xiao would never use the words “lead” or “command,” for he understood clearly that, at least for now, he was not truly able to lead these people. The main reason, of course, was that Chu Xiao believed his abilities were still insufficient.

More importantly, Chu Xiao knew that sooner or later, someone among them would betray the Nine Provinces.

Everyone nodded in agreement with Qiao Xu’s words.

After all, these were the leaders of nations. Their immunity to Chu Xiao’s impassioned and stirring rhetoric was, inevitably, a little lower than most.

The cohesion of humankind was still lacking. Chu Xiao knew it, Number One knew it, and the other three superpowers knew it even better.

“I propose that we sign a United Humanity Joint Defense Pact! Let us all stand together against the enemy!” Chu Xiao’s proposal was not made lightly.

After all, there is strength in numbers.

Uniting all humanity as one rope was surely better than fighting alone.

Beisha immediately expressed full support.

Churchill, hearing this, was visibly moved. “Excellent! I support it wholeheartedly!”

Ever since Churchill had witnessed the power of the Nine Provinces, he had sought every opportunity to align himself with them.

For now, the Nine Provinces were the only nation with the strength to contend against the Underworld King.

Mucus, however, made no comment, his demeanor cold and indifferent, making it clear he was unwilling.

Seeing Mucus’s silence, Orys also kept his own counsel, choosing to remain neutral.

Number One saw this and continued, “Now is a moment when the fate of all humanity hangs in the balance. I hope we can stand together as one! After all—”

“I think we should consider further!” Mucus interrupted before Number One could finish.

Orys observed the scene without expressing any opinion. For the moment, he had no wish to offend either of these two parties.

Churchill, though siding with the Nine Provinces, made no judgment on Mucus’s attitude.

In times like these, every nation preferred to avoid unnecessary conflict.

Number One was not angered, replying calmly, “Very well, let’s consider it. For now, we can discuss other strategies to counter the Underworld King.”

Like Chu Xiao, Number One fully understood what was going on in their minds.

The four superpowers negotiated all afternoon, and when the national leaders finally emerged from the Pearl Tower, night had already fallen.

The sky was dense with stars, and a bright, silvery moon hung in the heavens, shining with exceptional brilliance.

Perhaps this was the last splendor before the dawn.

Chu Xiao knew the Underworld King would return before long; this was merely a fleeting calm before the coming storm.

Preparing actively for the approaching tempest was the only wise choice.

Mucus returned to his country with the blueprints in hand and immediately ordered his nation to sever all contact with the Nine Provinces.

A true traitor, through and through.

When Number One and Chu Xiao received the news, they merely smiled faintly.

Such a development was entirely within their expectations.

Neither Number One nor Chu Xiao had ever placed much hope in someone as petty as Mucus.

They had aided the country for the sake of its countless citizens, not for Mucus himself.

Once again, the Nine Provinces entered a state of emergency mobilization.

The Underworld King would soon return in force!

But his onslaught came even sooner than Chu Xiao and the others had anticipated.

This time, the Underworld King’s tactics were sharper and more ruthless.

He launched small nuclear warheads, instantly obliterating weaker nations without missile defense systems.

Of course, all four superpowers possessed anti-missile capabilities, and they were barely managing to hold out.

While launching nuclear strikes, the Underworld King also attempted to assault the Nine Provinces’ cyber network.

The Red Hackers, having learned from their previous engagement, were now familiar with the enemy’s methods and psychologically prepared.

Though the fight was arduous, they managed to hold their ground a little longer.

At the same time, battle machines suddenly appeared all around the world.

What was even more astonishing was that these machines—both in type and model—were exactly as Chu Xiao had described: armed mechanical dogs and humanoid combat machines.

Though there were only these two types for now, they already posed a significant headache.

Number One went to Yan Capital to take command, while Chu Xiao remained in Pearl City.

They still did not know which major city the Underworld King would attack first.

“Report to Director Chu! The Underworld King’s mechanical army is only ten kilometers from Pearl City!” Ji Kaicheng’s heart had never pounded with such excitement.

At long last, they would meet the Underworld King’s army in a battle to the death. As a soldier, how could he not be stirred?

Upon hearing this, Chu Xiao replied in a deep voice, “All units, assemble and move out! Hold your positions!”

“Deploy tracking machine guns and laser rifles for long-range attacks to lower their guard against us!”

“Afterward, use the laser cannons for a long-range bombardment—let’s make sure they never return!” Chu Xiao’s gaze blazed with fighting spirit.

The battle was about to begin.

Victory would ultimately belong to the Nine Provinces!

At 11:32 a.m., the Underworld King’s mechanical army arrived outside the Pearl Fortress.

As one of the three major fortresses of the Nine Provinces, Pearl Fortress would not fall so easily.

“All units, follow my command—mount your guns!”

“Aim!”

“Open fire!”

“Let’s catch those machines off guard!”

In an instant, the air was thick with smoke and the roar of gunfire.

The mechanical dogs, agile as they were, could evade laser rifles to some extent, but before the tracking machine guns, they had nowhere to hide.

As for the humanoid machines, the laser rifles dispatched them one by one with ease.

Yet their numbers were overwhelming!

For every one destroyed, ten more seemed to appear.

Now these humanoid machines had fully encircled the Pearl Fortress, forming a tight ring.

“Director Chu, we’re surrounded!” Ji Kaicheng, his face smeared with blood, showed not a hint of fear in his eyes.

“All units, ready the cannons!”

“Aim!”

“Fire!”

At his words, a thunderous barrage erupted.

Bang!

Boom!

…

Countless machines were blown to pieces!

This was the true strength of the Nine Provinces!

No, this was only a fraction of it.

The real Nine Provinces were far more powerful than the Underworld King could ever have imagined!

Five minutes later, the Underworld King’s mechanical army fled in disarray, their wreckage littering the battlefield outside the fortress.

Cheers erupted from every corner of the fortress.

“The Underworld King has been repelled!”

“He’s been pushed back!”

“Amazing!”

“Long live the Nine Provinces!”

“Glory to the Nine Provinces!”

…

One person shouted “Glory to the Nine Provinces!” and soon, everyone joined in, their voices shaking the very heavens.

This was the Nine Provinces.

Elsewhere, Miguo, Ostrong, and Beisha also suffered attacks of varying severity.

Though they had used the blueprints provided by the Nine Provinces to produce new weapons, time had been too short and their numbers were woefully insufficient.